Apparatus, and associated method, for facilitating network selection by a roaming mobile node

ABSTRACT

Apparatus, and an associated method, by which to facilitate operation of a roaming mobile node to perform a packet communication service. When the mobile node roams beyond its home network, detection is made of the available networks in whose coverage area that the mobile node roams together with the communication capabilities of the available networks. A preferred listing stored at a storage element of the mobile node is accessed to determine if any of the available and compatible networks are listed on the preferred listing. If so, selection is made of one of the available and preferred networks. Otherwise, a network not contained in the preferred listing is selected through which to communicate.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a divisional application of co-pending patentapplication Ser. No. 10/789,405 filed on Feb. 27, 2004.

The present invention relates generally to a manner by which tofacilitate network selection in a radio communication system tofacilitate effectuation of a packet communication service by a mobilenode. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus, andan associated method, by which to facilitate network selection by aroaming mobile node that roams beyond its own network to permit itsoperation pursuant to a packet communication service to communicate databy way of a selected radio access network.

Selection of the radio access network through which the roaming mobilenode communicates is made at the mobile node. A determination is made ofwhich radio access networks are available and, further, of which of theavailable radio access networks provide packet data connectivity. Apreferred list of radio access networks is maintained at the mobilenode. If the mobile node roams into an area encompassed by a radioaccess network identified in the preferred list and the radio accessnetwork provides traffic data connectivity, then selection is made ofthe radio access network identified on the list. Otherwise, selection isselectably made of another radio access network, not listed on thepreferred list, that is available and provides packet data connectivity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Advancements in communication technologies have permitted thedevelopment and deployment of many different types of communicationsystems that permit the effectuation of many different types ofcommunication services. Communication systems are regularly utilized bymany users to communicate therethrough pursuant to many variedcommunication services. Some communication services have becomepractical necessities of modern society. And, access to appropriatecommunication systems is a necessity for many.

As technological advancements continue, improved, and new, communicationservices shall likely become available. In general, the technologicaladvancements provide for more efficient communications, at highercommunication rates, or in manners that better provide for successfulcommunications in spite of adverse communication conditions.

Technological advancements include advancements in digital communicationtechniques. Many modern communication systems utilize digitalcommunication techniques to facilitate communication of data. Variouscommunication advantages are provided through the use of digitalcommunication techniques. Use of digital communication techniques, forexample, permit redundancies to be removed from data prior to itscommunication, thereby permitting improved communication efficiencies.Improved communication efficiencies, in turn, permit data throughputrates of data communicated during operation of the communication systemrelative to a corresponding communication system that does not make useof digital communication techniques.

A radio communication system is an exemplary type of communicationsystem. Advancements in communication technologies have been implementedin modern radio communication systems that have been developed anddeployed. Many modern radio communication systems make use of digitalcommunication techniques that, when implemented, form digital radiocommunication systems.

Data is communicated during operation of a radio communication systemupon radio channels, defined upon a portion of the electromagneticspectrum. Communication stations operable in a radio communicationsystem operate variously to convert data that is to be communicated intoa form capable of communication on the radio communication channel andto detect the data communicated thereon, thereby to permit the recoveryof the informational content thereof.

Radio communication systems provide various advantages over theirwireline counterparts. Because a wireline connection is not required tointerconnect the communication stations of a radio communication system,communications are effectuable between communication stations betweenwhich wireline connections cannot easily be formed. And, because thewireline connection is not required to interconnect the communicationstations, a radio communication system is amenable for implementation asa mobile communication system. In a mobile communication system, one ormore of the communication stations between which data is communicatedpursuant to effectuation of a communication service is providedmobility.

An exemplary type of radio communication system is a cellularcommunication system. A cellular communication system makes use of aplurality of fixed-site base transceiver stations that are deployed atspaced locations throughout an area that is to be encompassed by thecommunication system. Each base transceiver station defines a coveragearea, referred to as a cell. Telephonic communication is effectuatedthrough use of a mobile node that transceives data with a basetransceiver station. Through the use of the plurality of basetransceivers, positioned at the spaced locations, a base transceiverstation is generally positioned in relatively close proximity to amobile station positioned in an area encompassed by the communicationsystem. Only relatively low-powered signals are required to becommunicated between the mobile node and a base transceiver station toeffectuate communications therebetween. The same channels are reusableat different base transceiver stations according to a cell reusepattern.

Cellular communication systems are constructed to be operable inconformity with an operating specification promulgated by astandard-setting regulatory body. Successive generations of operatingstandards have been promulgated and corresponding successive generationsof cellular communication systems have been deployed. A significantportion of the populated area of the world is encompassed by one or moregenerations of cellular communication systems.

The network infrastructures of more than one generation of cellularcommunication systems might, for instance, be installed over a commonarea and be concurrently operable to provide for radio communicationswith mobile stations operable in the respective communication systems.And, separate networks, operated by separate network operators, of thesame generation, might also be installed over the common area, also tobe operable concurrently.

A mobile node is authorized to communicate by way of a cellularcommunication system through purchase of a service subscription tocommunicate therethrough. Generally, pursuant to the servicesubscription, the mobile node is associated with a home network. Thehome network is typically the network that is installed to encompass anarea in which the user of the mobile node is anticipated most regularlyto be positioned. However, due to the inherent mobility of a mobilenode, the user of the mobile node, carrying the mobile node, might roambeyond the coverage area of the home network of the mobile node. Whenroaming beyond the home network, the mobile node might instead bepositioned at a location encompassed by another network, a visitednetwork.

When the mobile node roams beyond its home network, the mobile node isselectably permitted to communicate by way of one or more of the visitednetworks, depending upon, among other things, whether the mobile nodeand the visited network operate pursuant to the same operatingspecification. Also, agreements between operators of the visited andhome networks are further determinative of whether the mobile node isable to communicate by way of a particular visited network.

The mobile node might roam into an area encompassed by more than onenetwork such that more than one network is available to a mobile nodethrough which to communicate. A decision is made as to which of theavailable networks that the mobile node communicates. Conventionalmechanisms are used in the decision-making process, typically includinguse of a defined set of preferred roaming partners. An operator of thehome network of the mobile node maintains a list of preferred networksthat are to be used through which to communicate when the mobile noderoams beyond the home network. Historically, the preferred roaming listsare based upon capability of the visited networks having voicecapability pursuant to circuit-switched connectivity.

Increasingly, however, cellular communication systems, and the mobilenodes operable therein, provide for packet communication services. Manynew networks, constructed to be operable pursuant to new-generationoperating specifications, provide packet connectivity permitting packetdata services while, in contrast, some legacy networks provide onlycircuit-switched connectivity. When packet communication services are tobe effectuated by a roaming mobile node, selection of the visitednetwork through which to communicate based upon conventional criteria,i.e., based upon merely the capacity of a visited network to handlevoice communications is inadequate to ensure that a packet datacommunication service shall acceptably be effectuated in that network.

Accordingly, an improved manner by which to select a network throughwhich a roaming mobile node communicates is needed.

It is in light of this background information related to thecommunication packet-formatted data in a radio communication system thatthe significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, accordingly, advantageously provides apparatus,and an associated method, by which to facilitate network selection in aradio communication system to facilitate effectuation of a packetcommunication service with a mobile node.

Through operation of an embodiment of the present invention, a manner isprovided by which to facilitate network selection by a roaming node thatroams beyond its home network to permit its operation pursuant to apacket communication service.

The radio access network through which the roaming node communicates isselected at the mobile node. Determination is made at the mobile node ofwhich radio access networks are available and, also, of which of theavailable radio access networks provide packet data connectivity. Apreferred list of radio access networks is maintained at the mobilenode. If the mobile node roams into an area encompassed by a radioaccess network identified in the preferred list and the radio accessnetwork provides packet data connectivity, then selection is made of theradio access network identified on the list. Otherwise, selection ismade of another radio access network, not listed on the preferred list,but which is available and provides packet data connectivity.

In one aspect of the present invention, a home network is associatedwith the mobile node. An operator of the home network has affiliationswith operators of other networks, or otherwise has a preference that themobile node communicate by way of selected networks when the mobile noderoams beyond its home network. The preferred networks are codified in apreferred network list. The preferred network list is provided to themobile node, and the mobile node utilizes the preferred list as part ofits selection process by which to select a network through which tocommunicate when roaming beyond its home network.

In one aspect of the present invention, the preferred list is downloadedto the mobile node, either when the mobile node is initially placed intoservice or during its operation, such as during registration procedures.The preferred roaming list is, once downloaded to the mobile node,stored at a storage element. The contents of the preferred roaming listare accessible during operation of the mobile node. Indexed togetherwith the preferred roaming list are indications of the capabilitiesexhibited by the entries contained on the list. The network capabilitieshere indicate whether the networks provide circuit-switchedconnectivity, packet-switched connectivity, or both packet andcircuit-switched connectivities. The preferred list, stored at themobile node, is dynamically updatable, both to indicate changes in theentries on the list and also to indicate changes to the capabilities ofthe entries. Additionally, in one implementation, the mobile nodemonitors broadcasts of signals generated by networks into whose areasthat the network roams. The signals broadcast by the networks include,in addition to identifying indicia, indications of their respectivecommunication capabilities. The signals detected by the mobile node areused to update the contents of the preferred roaming list storedthereat.

When a packet data service is to be performed by the mobile node, themobile node selects through which network that the communication serviceis to be effectuated. Determination is first made, based, for instance,upon which of the networks are available, that is, within which of thenetworks that the mobile node is in reception range. Subsequent todetermination of which of the networks are available, the preferredroaming list is accessed to determine whether the available network, ornetworks, provide capabilities, namely packet data connectivity.

If the available network exhibits the appropriate communicationcapabilities and is contained on the preferred list, the network isselected and communications are effectuated therethrough. If, however,none of the networks listed in the preferred list are both available andprovide the communication capabilities required to effectuate the packetcommunication service, the mobile node instead makes selection ofthrough which network to communicate based upon the detected signalsbroadcast by the network in whose coverage area that the mobile node ispositioned. Selection is made of a network, if any, that provides packetdata connectivity whose signals that the mobile node receives.

Thereby, the selection of a network through which to communicate isbased upon availability of the network and whether the network providespacket data connectivity best to facilitate effectuation of the packetdata service.

In these and other aspects, therefore, apparatus, and an associatedmethod, is provided for a radio communication system. The radiocommunication system has a mobile node operable at least to communicatepacket data pursuant to a packet communication session by way of aselected network portion of a network part of the radio communicationsystem. The network part has a plurality of network portions. Selectionof which of the plurality of network portions forms the selected networkportion by way of which the packet data is communicated pursuant to thecommunication session is facilitated. A storage element is embodied atthe mobile node. The storage element selectably contains a listing of apreferred set of network portions associated with the mobile nodetogether with network portion capabilities of individual ones of thenetwork portions, if any, forming the preferred set. A selector iscoupled to the storage element. The selector selects the selectednetwork portion by way of which the packet data is communicated.Selection is made by the selector of one of the network portions, ifany, identified in the listing contained at the storage element thatexhibits network portion capabilities of packet data connectivity. And,if none of the network portions, if any, identified in the listingexhibit packet data connectivity, selection made by the selectorselectably is made of another network portion to form the selectednetwork portion by way of which the packet data is communicated.

A more complete appreciation of the present invention and the scopethereof can be obtained from the accompanying drawings that are brieflysummarized below, the following detailed description of thepresently-preferred embodiments of the present invention, and theappended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a functional block diagram of a radio communicationsystem in which an embodiment of the present invention is operable.

FIG. 2 illustrates a message sequence diagram representative ofexemplary signaling generated during operation of the radiocommunication system shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates a representation of an exemplary listing formedpursuant to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates a flow diagram representative of exemplary operationof an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates a representation of another exemplary listing formedpursuant to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates another flow diagram, also representative ofexemplary operation of an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring first to FIG. 1, a mobile radio communication system, showngenerally at 10, provides for communication of data between a fixednetwork and a plurality of mobile nodes, of which the mobile node 12 isrepresentative. The mobile nodes are permitted movement throughout ageographical area encompassed by the radio communication system,including, in the exemplary implementation, movement during effectuationof a communication service. The mobile node 12 is operable at least toeffectuate a packet communication service.

In the exemplary implementation, at least parts of the communicationsystem are operable, generally, pursuant to the operating protocols andstandards set forth in a GSM (Global System for Mobile communications)operating specification. Here, the mobile node is operable, generally,pursuant to the GSM operating specification. And, the mobile node ishere GPRS (General Packet Radio Service)-capable or EDGE (Enhanced Datafor GSM Evolution)-capable to provide for the effectuation of GPRS orEDGE packet communication services.

While the following description shall describe exemplary operation ofthe mobile radio communication system in which the mobile node, and atleast selected portions of the network, operate pursuant to the GSMoperating specification, in other implementations, the mobile nodeoperates in other manners and the at least selected parts of the networkof the communication system also operate in other manners. And,description of operation of the communication system, and the mobilenode operable therein, can similarly be described with respect to animplementation in which the mobile node operates in conformity withanother radio standard.

The network of the radio communication system here includes a pluralityof radio access networks 14, here designated at 14-1, 14-2, 14-3, 14-4,and 14-5. The radio access network 14-1 forms a home network of themobile node 12. Permanent registry information associated with themobile node is maintained at the home network, such as at a homelocation register thereof. The home network is typically a network atwhich the mobile node is most regularly positioned. When the mobile nodeis located within the coverage area of its home network 14-1, the mobilenode communicates by way of its home network.

Due to the inherent mobility of the mobile node, however, the mobilenode is not necessarily always positioned within the coverage area ofits home network. The mobile node is repositionable in an areaencompassed by another network, such as the geographical areasencompassed by the networks 14-2, 14-3, 14-4, and 14-5. The radio accessnetworks 14-2, 14-3, and 14-4 are positioned to have coverage areas thatpartially overlap one another. The radio access networks 14-2, 14-3, and14-4 are representative of networks, operated by separate networkoperators, that are operable over at least partially overlappingcoverage areas. And, the radio access network 14-5 is representative ofanother network that defines another coverage area also in which themobile node is positionable when the mobile node roams beyond its homenetwork.

The radio access networks 14-1 through 14-5 are appropriatelyinterconnected, such as by way of a core network 16, or otherappropriate communication medium or fabric through which communicationpaths are formable.

The exemplary mobile node 12 forms a radio transceiver, having a receivepart 22 and a transmit part 24. The receive part of the transceiverformed of the mobile node operates to receive data communicated to themobile node on radio downlink channels defined upon a radio airinterface. And, the transmit part of the transceiver formed of themobile node operates to transmit data upon uplink channels defined uponthe radio air interface. When the mobile node is positioned within thecoverage area of its home network, the mobile node transceives data byway of the home network. But, when the mobile node roams beyond thecoverage area of its home network, the mobile node, to effectuatecommunications, must communicate by way of another radio access network.While various conventional schemes are used to select through whichradio access network that the mobile node communicates when the mobilenode roams beyond its home network, the conventional schemes generallyutilize a preferred roaming list created by the operator of the homenetwork of the mobile node. Conventionally, the preferred roaming listsare predicated upon circuit-switched connectivity, not upon packet dataconnectivity. When the communication service to be effectuated by themobile node forms a packet communication service, utilization of aconventional scheme by which to select the network with which the mobilenode communicates is inadequate.

The mobile node includes apparatus 28 of an embodiment of the presentinvention. The apparatus operates to select, or facilitate selection of,the radio access network through which the mobile node communicates whenthe mobile node roams beyond the coverage area defined by its ownnetwork or otherwise is to communicate by way of a network other thanits own network. Selection of with which network that the mobile nodecommunicates, unlike a conventional scheme, takes into account thecapability of available networks to provide packet data connectivity.

The apparatus 28 includes a storage element 32. The storage element, inone implementation, is embodied at a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module)module releasably positionable at the mobile node. In otherimplementations, the storage element 32 is embodied elsewhere, such asan integrated circuit memory integrally formed at the mobile node.Values stored at the storage element define a database 34 that forms alisting that contains entries identifying radio access networks togetherwith their respective communication capabilities. And, the apparatusalso includes a selector 38. The selector is coupled to the storageelement to permit access by the selector to the listing formed of thedatabase defined at the storage element. The selector is also providedadditional information, here by way of the line 44 representative ofindications of signals broadcast to the mobile node and detected by thereceive part thereof. Indications of the messages are also provided tothe storage element to be stored thereat. The selector selects anavailable radio access network, if any, through which the mobile nodeshall communicate. Indications provided to the selector indicative ofthe broadcast of signals to the mobile node and detected at the receivepart thereof identify which of the networks are available, viz, in whosecoverage areas that the mobile node is positioned. And, access is madeto the listings contained in the database, also to identify radio accessnetworks.

In the exemplary implementation, a preferred list of networks is storedat the storage element so that individual entries contained in thelisting of preferred networks together with their respectivecapabilities. During operation of the apparatus, available networks,i.e., networks whose broadcasts are detected by the receive part of themobile node, are identified together with their capabilities. That is tosay, the available networks are identified and, of the availablenetworks, the networks that provide packet data connectivity are furtheridentified. Then, the listing is accessed to determine if any of thenetworks that are both available and compatible are contained in thelisting. If an available and compatible network is also listed in thelisting, selection is made from this set. Otherwise, if none of thenetworks determined to be both available and compatible are listed inthe listing, selection is made, not of a network listed in the listing,but of a network that exhibits the appropriate capabilities, here packetdata connectivity. Thereby, selection of a network is not limited tothose networks that appear in the preferred list downloaded to themobile node. While preference is given to networks contained on thepreferred listing, an alternate network is selectable in the event thatnone of the networks contained in the preferred listing are bothavailable and provide packet data connectivity.

FIG. 2 illustrates a message sequence diagram, shown generally at 62,representative of signaling generated during operation of the mobileradio communication system shown in FIG. 1. Here, broadcast of signalsby a selected radio access network, here radio access network 14-2, arebroadcast, indicated by the signals 64. The signals are sent at selectedintervals, here periodic intervals at a selected repetition rate 66.When the mobile node is within the coverage area of the network 14-2,the mobile node detects the broadcast signals, indicated by the block68, and indications of the signals are provided by the receive part ofthe mobile node and are provided to the apparatus 38 embodied at themobile node. The apparatus operates to select the network by way ofwhich the mobile node communicates at least in part responsive to thebroadcast information. If, and illustrated in the Figure, the network14-2 is the network by of which the mobile node communicates, callset-up procedures are carried out, indicated by the block 70 and packetdata communication services are effectuated.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary listing formed of the database definedat the storage element 36. Here, the listing is formed of a plurality ofentries 72. Each entry identifies a network 74 by a mobile country code(MCC) 76 and a mobile network code (MNC) 78. A suffix identifier, here“a”, “b”, and “c”, identify the commonality of country of the differententries. Communication capabilities of the networks are indicated in thecolumns 82, 84, and 86. The capabilities of voice connectivity, packetconnectivity, and network availability are listed in the respectivecolumns.

FIG. 4 illustrates a method flow diagram 92 representative of operationof an embodiment of the present invention. Entry into the process flowstarts at the start block 94. First, and as indicated by the decisionblock 96, a determination is made as to whether any of the availablenetworks provide GPRS packet data services. If not, the no branch istaken to the block 98, and a voice network is selected by which tocommunicate. If, conversely, a GPRS network is detected to be available,the yes branch is taken to the decision block 102.

At the decision block 102, a determination is made as to whether any ofthe GPRS-capable networks detected to be available are also listed inthe preferred listing of networks. If so, the yes branch is taken to theblock 104 and a GPRS-capable network of the available networks isselected to be the network through which the mobile node communicates.If more than one network is available, a random, or other, selection ofthe more than one network is made. If, conversely, none of the availableGPRS-capable networks are also contained in the preferred list, the nobranch is taken to the block 106. At the block 106, selection of anetwork is made of the available networks that provide the GPRScapability. Branches are taken from both of the blocks 104 and 106 tothe block 108.

At the block 108, the APN (Access Points Name) is activated to attemptpacket access to the selected network. Then, at the decision block 112,a determination is made as to whether the access attempt was successful.If not, the no branch is taken to the block 114, and the APN is markedas not working for the identified network and a return is made to thedecision block 96. If, conversely, the APN activation was successful,the yes branch is taken to the block 116 and the APN is marked as beinga working APN. And, a branch is taken to the stop block 118.

FIG. 5 illustrates a listing, again formed of a plurality of entries 72of preferred networks 74 identified by country and network codes 76 and78. The columns 82 and 84 indicating voice and packet dataconnectivities associated with the networks are also shown. And, here,further, a column 122 indicates whether the APN used in the activationattempt was successful and associated success of the packet data serviceresponsive thereto.

FIG. 6 illustrates another method flow diagram, here shown generally at124. Entry into the process commences with the start block 126. First, adetermination is made at the decision block 128 as to whether any GPRSnetworks are detected with a known APN or no state. If not, the nobranch is taken to the block 130, and a voice network is chosen to whichto communicate.

If, the yes branch is taken from the decision block 128, a furtherdetermination is made at the decision block 132 as to whether any ofGPRS capable network remains on the preferred list and also needs anAPN. If so, the yes branch is taken to the block 134. At the block 134,a network that is GPRS capable with an APN is selected that is listed onthe preferred listing.

If at the decision block 132, a determination is made that none of theGPRS compatible networks are listed on the preferred listing and need anAPN, then the no branch is taken to the decision block 135. At thedecision block 135, determination is made as to whether any GPRScompatible networks remain on the preferred listing and no APNinformation is stored thereat. If so, the yes branch is taken to theblock 138, and an available, GPRS compatible network is selected ofthose that are not listed on the preferred listing. And, if the nobranch is taken from the decision block 135, an available GPRScompatible network is selected, indicated at the block 142 with a knownAPN or with no APN state that is stored. Branches are taken from theblock 134, 138, and 142 to the block 144. At the block 144, the APN isactivated. And, at the decision block 146, a determination is madewhether packet connectivity using the APN was successful. If not, the nobranch is taken to the block 148 and the APN is marked in the listing asnot working. If the packet connectivity was successful using the APN,the yes branch is taken to the block 152 and the APN is stored againstthe network ID in the listing. A stop block 154 terminates the process.

Because selection of the network through which the mobile nodecommunicates is not limited to those networks listed in a preferredlisting, improved communications are provided in a radio communicationsystem of a roaming mobile node that roams beyond its own network.

The previous descriptions are of preferred examples for implementing theinvention, and the scope of the invention should not necessarily belimited by this description. The scope of the present invention isdefined by the following claims.

1. A method in a storage element for assisting a mobile node inselecting a network capable of data communication, the methodcomprising: storing a preferred roaming list in the storage element, thepreferred roaming list listing a plurality of preferred networkstogether with associated packet data communication capabilities of eachof the plurality of preferred networks; making the preferred roaminglist available for comparison against currently available networks andassociate packet data communication capabilities of each of thecurrently available networks; and updating the preferred roaming listbased upon the comparison.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the storageelement is an internal component of the mobile node.
 3. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the storage element is a removable module capable ofconnecting to the mobile node through an interface.
 4. The method ofclaim 3, wherein the storage element is a Subscriber Identity Module. 5.A storage element configured to assist a mobile node in selecting anetwork capable of data communication, the storage element comprising: apreferred roaming list listing a plurality of preferred networkstogether with associated packet data communication capabilities of eachof the plurality of preferred networks, the preferred roaming listconfigured to be available for comparison against currently availablenetworks and associate packet data communication capabilities of each ofthe currently available networks, the preferred roaming list furtherconfigured to be updated based upon the comparison.
 6. The storageelement of claim 5, wherein the storage element is an internal componentof the mobile node.
 7. The storage element of claim 5, wherein thestorage element is a removable module capable of connecting to themobile node through an interface.
 8. The storage element of claim 7,wherein the storage element is a Subscriber Identity Module.
 9. A methodin a mobile node for selecting a network capable of packet datacommunication with the mobile node, the method comprising: storing apreferred roaming list in storage element, the preferred roaming listlisting a plurality of preferred networks together with associatedpacket data communication capabilities of each of the plurality ofpreferred networks; identifying currently available networks;determining associated packet data communication capabilities of each ofthe currently available networks; comparing the currently availablenetworks capable of packet data communication against the preferredroaming list; if one of the currently available networks capable ofpacket data communication is matched with one of the plurality ofpreferred networks capable of packet data communication in the preferredroaming list, selecting the matched network; and if no match is found,selecting one of the currently available networks capable of packet datacommunication not listed in the preferred roaming list.
 10. The methodof claim 9, wherein identifying currently available networks includes:receiving a broadcasting signal from each of the currently availablenetworks, the broadcasting signal having a network identifieridentifying the currently available network.
 11. The method of claim 9,wherein determining associated packet data communication capabilities ofeach of the currently available networks includes: determining whethereach of the currently available networks is within communication rangeto establish packet data communication with the mobile node.
 12. Themethod of claim 9, wherein the storage element includes a SubscriberIdentity Module.
 13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:attempting to establish packet data communication with the selectednetwork; and updating the preferred roaming list in response to theattempt.
 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: if the attemptto establish packet data communication with the selected network fails,selecting another network from the currently available networks capableof packet data communication.
 15. A mobile node capable of packet datacommunication configured to select a network capable of packet datacommunication with the mobile node, the mobile node comprising: storageelement configured to store a preferred roaming list in memory, thepreferred roaming list listing a plurality of preferred networkstogether with associated packet data communication capabilities of eachof the plurality of preferred networks; a receiver configured to receivebroadcasting signals from currently available networks, the broadcastingsignals indicative of packet data communication capabilities of thecurrently available networks; and a selector coupled to memory and thereceiver, the selector configured to compare the currently availablenetworks capable of packet data communication against the preferredroaming list and, if one of the currently available networks capable ofpacket data communication is matched with one of the plurality ofpreferred networks capable of packet data communication in the preferredroaming list, to select the matched network, wherein the selector isfurther configured to select one of the currently available networkscapable of packet data communication not listed in the preferred roaminglist if no matched network is found.
 16. The mobile node of claim 15,wherein the selector is further configured to determine whether each ofthe currently available networks is within communication range toestablish packet data communication with the mobile node.
 17. The mobilenode of claim 15, wherein the selector is further configured to identifyeach of the currently available networks based upon a network identifierincluded in the broadcasting signal from each of the currently availablenetworks.
 18. The mobile node of claim 15, wherein the storage elementincludes a Subscriber Identity Module.
 19. The mobile node of claim 15,further comprising: a transmitter coupled to the selector, thetransmitter configured to attempt to establish packet data communicationwith the selected network, wherein the storage element is furtherconfigured to update the preferred roaming list in response to theattempt.
 20. The mobile node of claim 15, wherein the selector isfurther configured to select another network from the currentlyavailable networks capable of packet data communication if the attemptto establish packet data communication with the selected network fails.